Folding berth



E. E. WOLLER Feb. 6, 1934.

FOLDING BERTH Filed Aug. 15, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 6, 1934. E. E.WOLLER 1,945,875

FOLDING BERTH Filed Allg. 13, 1931 q:5 Sheets-Sheet 2 liu/anto irda/afdIl.' 74/0 l l l -E. E. WOLLER FOLDING BERTH Feb. 6, 1934,

Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT y OFFICE FOLDING BERTHporation of Delaware Application August 13, 1931. Serial No. 556,805

1 Claim.

This invention relates to folding berths, sometimes called disappearingbunks, such as are often used in the state rooms of boats and likevessels and in similar places in other vehicles.

The main object of the invention is to provide a folding berth of thetype referred to, which will be comparatively easy to manipulate andwhich will be firm and rigid in its extended position so as toconstitute a safe and comfortable bed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood byreference to the following specication and accompanying drawings (threesheets), in which a selected embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating the general arrangement of afolding berth embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation partly in section 20 showing the foldingberth partly folded.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the parts in foldedposition.

Figure 4 is a detail showing the manner of connecting one end of a cableto the end of the berth.

Figure 5 is a sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, illustrating adevice for, locking a part of the structure in open or unfoldedposition.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a sectional View showing the construction of acounterbalancing device which is shown in elevation in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view showing a portion of the structure shown inFigure 1, certain parts being broken away and shown in section to moreclearly illustrate the structure.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9of Figure 8.

Figures 10 and 11 are sectional views illustrating certain lockingdevices for holding the folding parts in folded position. v

Referring now to the drawings, I have illustrated in Figure 1 one cornerof a state room wherein a bed of any conventional form is positioned inone corner of the room, and a disappearing or folding bed 16 is locatedin the same corner of the room above the bed l5. The disappearing bed 16is designed to be folded into a receptacle 17, which includes end andside walls 18, 19, 20 and 2l, respectively, and a top closure 22' whichmay, if desired, be the ceiling of the state room or a special closurefor the bed-receiving receptacle.

The bed 16 may be of any convenient construction and, in this instance,includes a frame 22 which sustains any suitable form of bed springfabric, upon which a mattress 23 is positioned. Head and foot frames 24and 25, respectively, are mounted at the head and foot ends of theframe, and a lee or side rail 26 is mounted on the side frame adjacentthe head end .of the bed. The head frame and lee rail 24 and 26,respectively, are adapted to be folded over the adjacent portions ofthemattress, the head frame 24 preferably Voverlapping the lee rail 26.'I'he foot end 3|, frame 25 is also mounted so as to be displaceableinto folded position betweenrthe mattress and the bed spring fabriccarried bythe frame 22 or ln other suitable position.

Thebed bottom 16 is foldably mounted at one i side on a panel board 27,a hinge bracket'28 being secured to the panel in any suitable manner forco-operating with the hinge bracket 29 whichis carried by the end framemember of' the bed frame 22. The hinge members 28 and 29 are pivu, otedtogether, as indicated at 30, whereby it'will be seen that the bedbottom 16 is foldable relative to the panel 27 from laterally extendingbed position, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 2, to partiallyfolded position substantially parallel a9 with the panel, as shown infull lines in Figure 2.

Of course, it will be understood that a "similar pivotal connection isprovided at both 'ends of the bed bottom. Y

The panel 27 is foldably connected by means si of a hinge structure 31adjacent its upper edge to the receptacle side member 19. By virtue' ofthe pivotal connection l'between the panel 27 and the receptacle 19, thepanel and the bed bottom 16, when folded to the full line position shown9 0 in Figure 2, are adapted to be folded about the A pivot 31 into thereceptacle 17.v

For locking the bed bottom and panel in folded position within thereceptacle 17, a springpressed latch bar 32 is provided in thereceptacle 9 6 at each end thereof for co-operating with alatch-receiving lip 33 carried by thefadjacent side of the panel 27 (seeFigures 3 and 10) HThe latch bar 32 is normally urged intolockingengagement with the lip 33 by means of-a'spring 100 34, and the latch isadapted to be disengaged through the agency of the knob 35 which isconnected to the latch so that the same maybe yretracted against thepressure of the spring Y34, as will be apparent from an inspection ofFigure 10. 1.05

In its unfolded position, as shown in Figure 1, the bed bottom 16 iseffectively locked in xed position relative to the panel 27 and relativeto the receptacle 17 by means of a rigid bar 36 which is pivotallyconnectedvat its opposite ends l1! to the bed bottom, as indicated at36', and to the end Wall 20 of the receptacle. The lower end of therigid bar 36 is pivotally connected to the bed fraine in any suitablemanner, and the upper end of the bar 36 is detachably connected to thereceptacle wall 20 by means of the disengageable latch deviceillustrated in Figures 8 and 9..

'Ifhe supporting bar 26 is preferably of tubular construction and isprovided with suitable bearing blocks 37 and 38, respectively, forsupporting a locking rod 39 for longitudinal movement Within the tubularbar 36. Adjacent the lower bearing member 38, a block or collar 40 issecured to the rod 39 and provided with an end piece 41 which projectsoutwardlythrough a slot 42 provided in the tubular bar. A spring 43interposed between the collar 40 and the bearing member 38 normallyurges the rod 39 to move upwardly. The upper end of the bar 36 isprovided with an opening adapted to i'it over a stud 45 which issuitably secured to the receptacle wall 20. The stud 45 is provided witha groove 46 into which the bar or rod 39 is caused to project so as toprevent'4 displacementof thev upper end Vof the bar 36 from the stud 45;Obviously, displacement may be effected by moving the rod 39 downwardlyagainst the pressure of the spring 43, such movement being effectedthrough the agency of the end piece 41.

It will be understood thatV the bar 36 by which the outer or free sideof the bed bottom is suspended from the receptacle 17 co-operates withthe panel 27Y to support the bed bottom in operative position. Therigidity of the bar 36 obviously serves to prevent upward swinging ofthe bed bottom about its pivot 30.

To prevent side sway or swinging of the bed bottom about, the pivotsY 3land 45, the panel 27 is locked at its-free endV to thev wall 47 by meansof Va, locking device 48 at the free side of the panel. (See Figures 1,2 and 5.) The lockingA device 48 includes va bracket element 49 whichispivotally secured, as indicated at 50, to the panel 27 adjacent its freeside, the bracket 49 having an apertured boss 51 forslidably androtatably receiving a locking screw 52. The

locking screw 52 is provided with screw threadingas indicated at 53, atone end, and with a knob 54 at its other end for facilitatingmanipulation of the screw-which is designed to 'engage a screw-threadedsocket bracket l5,5 which is secured to the wall in'any suitable manner.The aperturedboss 51 is counterbored, as shown at 56,- to Ypermit thelocking screw 52 to be drawn outwardly until the screw-threaded endthereof is entirely within the boss 51, so that the bracket 49 may beswung about its pivot 50 so as to be Within the area oi the panel,whereby the panel may be swung into closed position, as shown in Figure3. It will be understood that the lockingscrew 52 vis provided with anannular enlargement 57 which co-operates with the knob l54 to anchor thelocking screw to the bracket 49, and that the counterbcring 56 isprovided for receiving said annular enlargement. If desired, the panel27 may be provided with wear plates, such as indicated at 58, forreceiving the locking bolts 52 when the same are swung inwardly as linesin Figure 2, wherein it is parallel to theY plane of the panel 27. Ofcourse, it is understood that the end frames 24 and 25 and the lee rail26 are iirst folded over, as previously reierred to. For locking the bedbottom 16'in the full-line folded position of Figure 2, a locking devicesuch as illustrated in Figure 1l is provided. This locking deviceconsists of an inverted hook-like bracket 59 which is suitably securedto the panel 27 adjacent its upper or inner edge. Mounted in the bracketSo'which supports one end of the lee rail 26 is a spring-pressed dog 6l,this dog being pivotally anchored, as indicated at 62, in the'bracket 60and normally urged outwardly by means oi a spring 63.

The outer end of the dog 6i is provided with a hook 64 designed to snapback of the inverted hook bracket 59 to thereby lock the bed bottom 16in the folded position shown. A button 65 may be provided forfacilitating disengagenient of the locking dog 64 when itisdesired tounfold the bed. The vlocking dog 64 also serves to lock the lee rail 26in up position when the bed is extended.

From the full line, partly folded position shown in Figure 2, the bedbottoni i6 and panel 27 are adapted to be folded as a unit about thepivot 3l into the receptacle 17 .as-shown in full lines in Figure 3. Thelocking device shown in Figure .lo and previously described is thenoperative to lock the bed in such folded position.

it will be observed that only 'one corner of the bed is supported in itsextended positionby a bar such as 36 and that the corresponding cornerof the bed at the opposite end thereof is supported by means of abracket 66 secured to the wall and which may. conveniently constitute anelectric light bracket as indicated in'Figure 1. The bed may be lockedto the-bracket V66 by any suitable means, if desired, or it may merelyrest thereon.

For facilitating folding of the bed in the manner described,`counterbalancing kmeans is provided. In this instance, thecounterbalancing means is located within the receptacle `17 so as to bepractically concealed. The counterbalanc'- ing meansherein shown is inthe f orinrof` a pair of spring-controlled rollers designated 67 and 68,respectively, the construction of these rollers being more lfully lshownin Figure/7.7-

.By inspection of Figurev 7, it will be seen that there is a centralshaft 69 Awhich. isY anchoredv lio At opposite sides of the intermediatelbracket 72, there are provided collars 73 and-74, 'respectively, whichare rotatably mounted on the shaft 69. At the opposite ends Yofthe shaft69, there are collars 75 and 76, respectively, which are also rotatablymounted on the shaft 69 and Which are respectively connected tothevcollars 73 and 74for rotation in unison therewith by means ofsleeves or tubes 77 and 78, respectively. Torsion springs 79 and 80 aredisposed within the respective tubes 77 Vand 78 and around the enclosedportions of the shaft 69, one end of each spring being anchored to theshaft as indicated at 81 and 82, while the opposite ends of therespective springs are anchored to the collars '13 and 74, as indicatedat 83 and 84, respectively.

Each of the end collars and 76 are provided with spirally cut grooves,such as indicated at 85 and 86, respectively, for receiving cables suchas 87 and 88, each of which has one end suitably anchored to the collaron which it is wound.

From the respective collars or drums 75 and '76, the respective cablesextend along the inside 0f the adjacent ends of the receptacle over anddownwardly around guide pulleys located ntermediate the width of thereceptacle, as indicated at 89 in Figure 2, the outer end of each cablebeing pivotally secured to the adjacent end of the bed bottom frame, asindicated at 90.

The construction of the pivot connection 90 between the cable and thebed frame 22, is shown in Figure 4. By examination of Figure 4, it willbe seen that the end of the cable is anchored in a bracket plate 90,which plate is secured to an anchor block 91. The anchor block 91 isprovided with a recess 92 for receiving a headed pivot pin 93 which isrigidly secured to the bed frame 22, as clearly shown in said Figure 4.

When the bed is in extended position as shown in Figure 1 (and as shownin dotted lines in Figure 2), the cables 87 and 88 are, of course,unwound from the respective drums or reels '75 and 76, and thecounterbalancing springs 79 and 80 are wound suiciently tocounterbalance the weight of the bed bottom and panel. Obviously, thespring counterbalancing arrangement described serves to facilitatemanipulation of the folding bed structure by relieving the operator ofthe necessity of handling the entire weight of the folding structure,whereby the operation of the folding bed is greatly facilitated and thelabor necessary to expend in such operation is greatly reduced.

The arrangement of the counterbalancing means within the receptacle, asdescribed, is highly desirable in that it is practically out of sight,whereby the neatness of appearance of the structure is not impaired andwhereby it is out of the way and not apt to be damaged by engagementwith various parts of the folding structure, or otherwise.

I am aware that changes may be made in the described structure withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should bedetermined by reference to the following claims, the same beingconstrued as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

In a folding berth of the class described, the combination of adownwardly facing receptacle, a panel pivotally connected at one side tosaid receptacle and foldable from closed position to open positionwherein the panel extends downwardly from said receptacle andsubstantially parallel to an adjacent wall, a bed bottom foldablysecured to said panel and means for locking the free edge of said panelto said wall when the bed is eX- tended, said means including a bracketand a lccking member, the bracket being pivoted to said panel adjacentsaid free edge and adapted to eX- tend beyond said free edge forengagement with the wall, the bracket being pivotally adjustable fromsaid position to a position within the area of the panel to therebyposition said locking bracket within the area of said receptacle whenthe panel is folded to closed position.

EDWARD E. WOLLER.

